The present invention relates to a toaster pastry. In particular, the present invention relates to a dough and filling for a toaster pastry and the method for making same.
Toaster pastry products are known in the food industry, and some examples are known as strudels. The products may be prepared with a wide variety of fruit fillings, for example, apple, cherry, strawberry, blueberry, wild berry and the like.
The development of commercially-acceptable toaster pastry products poses a number of technical problems in preparation, storage and stability. Such problems are discussed in Canadian Patent 1 248 406 of Wallin et al.
A toaster pastry requires both a high flavor and storage stability. One method of developing a high flavor is to use a high moisture content product with a large quantity of interior filling. Although this might be expected to maximize the flavor of the product, it will cause problems in the stability of the product. A large quantity of filling means that there is a relatively large area of contact between the filling and the interior surface of the dough of the pastry. Migration of moisture from the high-moisture content filling to the dough causes sogginess in the dough. In addition, acid migration from the filling, especially a fruit filling, to the dough results in a decrease in acidity of the filling, as well as color changes in the filling. Both the dough and filling lose flavor and there is a degradation of structural integrity of the product.
It would, therefore, be expected that use of low moisture content fillings would tend to overcome these problems. However, the result is a product with a low flavor impact and poor feel in the mouth of the consumer.
Canadian Patent 1 248 406 disclosed a high moisture content, shelf stable and product stable filling for toaster pastries. The filling had (a) a viscosity of from about 20,000 cps to about 60,000 cps; (b) a starch content of from about 3.5% by weight to about 8% by weight; (c) a gum content of from about 0.15% by weight to about 0.4% by weight; (d) a pH of from about 2.8 to about 7.5 and (e) a total moisture content of from about 30 to about 50% by weight. The filling was used with a high moisture laminated dough pad and roll-in shortening pad to provide the toaster pastry, which was cooked and then frozen. The toaster pastry may be thawed and then toasted or toasted directly from a frozen state to provide both a flaky, delamination resistant exterior surface and a bready, well developed interior structure that is stable at its moist interior surface with respect to contact with the filling. The high moisture laminated mixed dough and roll-in shortening pad had from about 2 to about 12 substantially discreet and continuous roll-in shortening layers per millimeter of pad thickness. The mixed dough was of from about 45 to about 60% by weight of flour and of from about 4 to about 20% by weight of shortening.
Notwithstanding the procedures set forth in Canadian Patent 1 248 406, further and improved techniques for the manufacture of toaster pastries are required, especially to simplify the procedures required in the manufacture of the toaster pastries, and to provide an equivalent or improved taste to the product that is obtained.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an alternative dough, filling and method for the manufacture of toaster pastries. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the toaster pastry is of a type that is laminated dough with an interior filling.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the toaster pastry is prepared and then fried, packaged and frozen by a manufacturer prior to sale to a consumer. The consumer toasts the pastry in the thawed or frozen state.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the combination of a filling formulation of this invention and a dough formulation of this invention provides a toaster pastry product of good quality and stability.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a dough for a toaster pastry, the method comprising forming a blend of ingredients comprising wheat flour of from about 25 to about 44% by weight of ingredients for the dough, wheat farina of from about 13 to about 35% by weight of ingredients for the dough, shortening of from about 1.5 to about 2.5% by weight of ingredients for the dough, and water of from about 25 to about 35% by weight of ingredients for the dough; adding puff pastry shortening in the form of cubes such that the amount of puff pastry shortening is in the range of from about 5 to about 15% by weight of the ingredients for the pastry; and blending the ingredients such that a heterogeneous mixture of the cubes of shortening in the remainder of the ingredients is obtained. In a preferred aspect, the method further comprises forming the dough into a layered structure, the layered structure comprising a single base sheet of the dough covered with a pastry filling, with a single top sheet of the pastry blend of the dough applied thereover.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toaster pastry made according to the above method, the toaster pastry comprising an upper layer of dough, a lower layer of dough and an intermediate layer of filling, said pastry when cooked providing a flaky, multi-layered filled pastry.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a dough for a toaster pastry, comprising the steps of:
(a) forming a blend of ingredients comprising wheat flour of from about 25 to about 35% by weight of ingredients for the dough, sugar to taste and shortening of from about 1.5 to about 2.5% by weight of the ingredients for the dough;
(b) adding wheat farina of from about 20 to about 35% by weight of the ingredients for the dough;
(c) mixing modified starch of from about 1 to about 1.5% by weight of the ingredients for the dough, baking powder of from about 0.3 to about 1.2% by weight of the ingredients for the dough, salt to taste, a reducing agent of from about 0.015 to about 0.025% by weight of the ingredients for the dough, dextrose of from about 0.25 to about 0.75% by weight of the ingredients for the dough, and dried egg yolk of from about 0.8 to about 1.3% by weight of the ingredients for the dough, with the ingredients of (b);
(d) mixing yeast of from about 0.3 to about 1.5% by weight of the ingredients for the dough, and water of from about 25 to about 35% by weight of the ingredients for the dough, with the ingredients of (c);
(e) adding puff pastry shortening in the form of cubes such that the amount of puff pastry shortening is in the range of from about 5 to about 15% by weight of the ingredients for the dough; and
(f) blending the ingredients of (e) such that a heterogeneous mixture of the cubes of shortening in the remainder of said ingredients is obtained.
According to still another aspect of the invention there is provided a dough for a toaster pastry comprising wheat flour of from about 25 to about 44% by weight of ingredients for the dough, wheat farina of from about 13 to about 35% by weight of ingredients for the dough, shortening of from about 1.5 to about 2.5% by weight of ingredients for the dough, water of from about 25 to about 35% by weight of ingredients for the dough and puff pastry shortening, in the form of cubes, of from about 5 to about 15% by weight of the ingredients for the pastry.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a filling comprising fruit of from about 1 to about 50% by weight of ingredients of the filling; water of from about 20 to about 50% by weight of ingredients of the filling; a sweetener of from about 20 to about 40% by weight of ingredients of the filling; corn syrup of from about 6 to about 20% by weight of ingredients of the filling; modified starch of from about 4 to 7% by weight of ingredients of the filling; a gum of from about 0.3% to about 0.7% by weight of ingredients of the filling; and an acid of from about 0.3% to about 0.7% by weight of ingredients of the filling.